Rush of Emotion
by Eryessa
Summary: A Roman Reigns fic, before Shield's disband. Roman meets a nice young woman, Mallory Tindel, and trying to vie for her attention as Sheamus goes after her as well. Warning! Does turn explicit! Rated M for mature content. You have been warned.
1. Chapter 1

**This is another fic that I found when looking through some of my old stuff. This one is far different than what I usually write. It's not very long and not finished yet. I'm trying to reclaim where I had gotten the idea but I thought you guys might like something different from me. Enjoy!**

* * *

"Your beer, sir." The waitress with the micro mini skirt and the flaming red halter top said, bending down to place his bottle of beer on the table. As she bent down he knew that she was trying to flash him with her oversized breasts.

But nothing in that dingy club would take his gray eyes off of the blond at the bar.

A lot of the other superstars decided a night out on the town was in order and decided on one of the most trashiest places Denver, Colorado had to offer. Trash was right, he thought as the sexually attractive waitress walked away, giving more pop to her sway than necessary.

"Yo, Ro, how's it going?" His stablemate asked, coming up with the third member of The Shield.

"Just chillin'," Roman Reigns replied before bringing the bottle to his lips and took a long draw from it. "People watching."

The Seth Rolins and Dean Ambrose turned their heads in the direction of where Roman was looking. Sure enough there were people in his line of view but none of them looked like the one their muscle man was watching.

"Which one?" Dean asked.

"Which one indeed." Roman mumbled.

The air in the club was thick and heavy with bodies, body sweat, BO, and hormones with the way some people were dancing with each other. The various tensions could be sliced with a knife. There was the smell of booze and illegal drugs but the dregs of of the city came to here where everyone turned a blind eye to everything people were doing in there.

"What the fuck is he doing here?" Roman asked as he watched Sheamus sidle up to the blond at the bar.

Speaking of dregs, Sheamus was not the kind to be in this seedy run down club, he was too prim and proper of an Irishman who looked like he could fit right into the roaring twenties. Or at least Boston during prohibition with that flat cap. Not in this place, not in a place where someone could get crack in the corner booth and a hot tip to a waitress could give you ten minutes with her on her break. No, he wasn't supposed to be at the club. Come to think of it, Roman thought, neither did the blond.

"What's the matter?" Dean glanced at Roman before going back to looking at Sheamus.

There was no denying that Sheamus and Roman had a heated beef with each other. One from a good neighborhood, great school and good life, while the other basically grew up in a below minimum wage home in a ghetto somewhere. It had been obvious that Sheamus thought little of the three members of The Shield, because of this fact. And the fact remained, before Roman could get a foot up in anything, Sheamus was there to get in the way. Case in point, the object of the Samoan's affection at that moment.

"So it's the blond, right. The one who is listening to Aksana?" Seth asked.

With her elbow leaning on the bar, her hand supporting her cheek, the blond was looking in Aksana's general direction oblivious to two men watching her. Her bright blue baby tee and her short jean shorts with sneakers made it obvious she wasn't there for any action, and the fact that she was guarding a water bottle proved it. She was driving the divas around that night, well most of the divas.

"Isn't she the Diva PA or something?" Seth asked.

"Yeah. I've been eying her for a while now. Trying to find a way to approach her."  
"Pussy," Dean mumbled, dropping down in on of the free chairs around Roman's table. "You should have acted faster."

Just watching her, watching as she turned her attention from the Lithuanian diva to the Irishman as he approached, Roman growled as he watched her smile at him, she smiled at Sheamus as if he was the most interesting person in the world. This wasn't right, she was supposed to be looking at him, looking at Roman, that way. He should have been the most interesting person in her world, not the crème puff Irishamn.

"Why don't you just go over there and talk to her?" Seth asked. "Forget about that fucking Irishman and just drag her off to some corner and just do it?"

"Which corner, the one selling pot, crack, I think heroine is off over there somewhere," Dean waved half hazardly over in one direction and then another. "And the last corner is already being used."

"Yeah, you have a point." Seth plopped himself down next to Dean. "But still, you can just take her outside, at least that way she can hear you talk."

"I'm not sure that's going to work." Roman ended up growling while gesturing with his beer bottle towards the dance floor.

Sheamus had dragged off the woman, her water bottle unattended. Anyone could get to that bottle, they could slip something in it. Roman had missed his chance with her, another attempt on his sanity and the better of the two had the woman.

"I'm getting out of here, I can't fucking stand it anymore." Roman stood up, tossing down the money on his table for the bill of his two beers. "I need a walk."

Neither Dean or Seth tried to stop him. They knew very well what was going on with their friend so it was no use trying to get him to open up about it.

The way out of the club was to walk next to the dance floor. That meant Roman had to watch Sheamus and the blond dance close together, really close together. Compared to either man, she was a delicate flower, easily bruised with a finger if someone wasn't careful. There was nothing in the world at that moment where Roman wouldn't do anything or say anything to the object of his affection. But there was one thing standing in the way, a six foot four Irishman that's what.

He paused as he reached the door. Turning around, Roman scanned the crowd of people, looking for the blond he had been interested with for a while. He couldn't see her, but he saw the Irishman, there was no missing of the red hair from that man. There, that's when he saw it.

She emerged from the dance floor looking flustered. And of course Sheamus was following her.

"I told you, Sheamus, I am not interested in dating anyone right now." She said loudly, over the music that was thumping around them.

Roman watched as she headed towards the doors, towards where he was standing. Just the right time for him.

"Come on, Lass," Sheamus reached out and grabbed her wrist.

Shaking him off, she turned and looked at him. "I told you, I don't want to date anyone right now." She jerked back when he tried to reach her again. "Can't you just leave me alone for one second? I told you no."

"Lass, please," Sheamus took a step towards her but she stepped back, right into Roman's front.

To him, to Roman, she fit just perfect right there. But the contact between them broke when she twisted around to see who she had ran into.

"I am so sorry." She held her hands up, fingers splayed out. "I didn't see you. I'm so sorry." She had repeated herself again. "Sorry."

No ring, no attachment. That was good to know.

"No harm done," Roman said as his eyes fell on an unamused Sheamus. "Is everything okay?"

"Fine, it's fine. I was just leaving in fact." She maneuvered around Roman and then exited.

With a beat pulsing in his ears, along with his pulse, the idea that Sheamus had run her off caused a glare to mar his handsome features.

"Don't even think about starting anything with her, Reigns." Sheamus said.

"Seems like you've started something, Sheamus. I was just standing here." Roman smiled ruefully. "But I am on my way out, so I'm going to make sure she's okay."

"Don't think about it, Reigns. She's mine."

"Last I saw, she was no one's. But it doesn't mean I can't be a gentleman and see if she needs help." With that Roman turned and headed out the club door, hoping that Sheamus wouldn't follow.

The city's night was cool, not freezing cold since Denver was located somewhere within the Rocky Mountain area. With it summer time the nights got cool, not that he'd ever noticed it. Roman was more interested in looking for the girl that captured his attention.

Her bright hair stood out against the darkness of the night. She was leaning against the wall of the club and looking down at her phone. She was texting something to someone, maybe one of the divas but Roman didn't really care. Instead he headed towards her.

"Hey," he said, causing her to look up. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, it's fine." She glanced down at her phone, typing something else before shoving it in her pocket. "I'm supposed to be watching the divas, making sure they are okay. But how am I supposed to do that if I have to side step men that want to bed me?" She looked at him.

Though her face was shadowed, he knew she had deep blue eyes. Yet, it was what she said about the men in the club.

"So you're single and don't want to mingle?" He chuckled at that but stopped when he saw her deep seated frown.

"You could say that." She said, looking up at the starless sky.

"I was about ready to leave myself. I'm not really in the mood for being here tonight." He leaned his shoulder against the wall. "I wasn't really in the mood to come out at all. I'm guessing that's the same thing for you."  
"Yeah, the divas have a group photo shoot tomorrow and they need to be hangover free."  
"I guess I could understand that. Is that why you're standing right here?"  
"Pretty much, yeah. I mean, this is my job, my job is making sure that there are divas that are doing what they need to do and making sure that they are okay. I only barely managed to get squeezed out of that stupid Total Divas thing because I mainly work with the divas that aren't on it. Aksana just really wanted to head out tonight and I am her chaperon. I should be getting inside anyway, but..."

"You don't want to deal with Sheamus."

"Yeah, that's the big thing."

"Well, I'm here. I can make sure he doesn't come around to bother you."

"No, I got this. I just needed to clear the air out of my head. I think I was getting a contact high or something with the fumes in there."

She pushed herself off the wall and scuffed her shoe against the ground and looked up at him. She had a determined look to herself, a clenched jaw and pursed lips.

"Uh, I'm Roman Reighns." He held his hand out to her.

She grasped it. "Mallory Tindel."

"Mallory Tindel," he said, his smile growing slightly. "Nice to meet you, Mallory Tindel."

"Yeah, that's my name. And nice to meet you, I guess." She replied before walking by him. "Thank you for seeing if I was okay. But I got it from here."

"If you're sure. Then I should say good night to you."

She bit her lip, looking at him fully now and with the light of the one fixture hanging up on the wall she could see his eyes. Eyes that could scare and lull people. Like a vampire. A shudder rocked her shoulders, visibly being seen by Roman. And like that, without saying anything because she couldn't say anything, Mallory left.

Only he didn't let her, at first.

"Hey, wait." Roman called out.

She turned and looked at him, brows knitted together and a frown tugging at her lips.

"I would suggest buying yourself another bottle of water. In a place like this, well I would say it wouldn't be safe to go back to the one you had."

"How did you know I had a bottle of water?"

But he didn't answer. Instead, he slipped off into the night, proud of himself. It left a few things unsaid and undone.

They would be things he would work out later.

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**Well that is the first chapter of this Roman Reigns fic. More to come. See you guys in the next chapter!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's Chapter 2! Enjoy!**

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"See you guys later at the car." Seth said, waving at them as he headed out of the gym's locker room.

Roman didn't say anything at first, his mind was elsewhere, somewhere far off and on a certain blond. Dean said his goodbyes to their friend as he reached up in the locker for a clean shirt.

"Still can't get Mallory off your mind?" There was a snicker to Dean's question, like he couldn't get over the fact that some woman was dancing around in his friend's head.

"Why did I ever tell you her name?" Roman asked slipping on his own shirt.

"Because I'm your friend."

"Then I'm a friend with a snake." Roman stood up, grabbing his watch off the shelf and putting it on. "But she just seemed, I don't know."

"Why can't you shake this one person? She's just a woman. What is it that has her under your skin?"

"I don't got a clue. That's the thing. At first I thought it was because of my issues with Sheamus but now, it seems kind of iffy. There really isn't a reason why I'm so..."

"You're hung up on someone, since your last break up I thought you would be looking to stay away from birds and their issues."

"Birds? Who have you been talking to? Barrett?"

"Yeah, so? It's better than calling them bitches and having you ride my ass about giving them respect. Not when I've got my own damn issues with them."

That was an understatement of the year. There was only ever one girlfriend that Roman knew of. She was one that Dean had and it didn't end well from what he knew. Not that Roman had any luck with women as of lately, his long term girlfriend and fiance decided to call it quits on him, and seeing his daughter was hard enough.

"So, what are you going to do now?"

"Now," Roman stood up and grabbed his bag. "I get my ass to the arena for Monday Night Raw. I've got to spear Cena into next Sunday."

* * *

Usually speaking, when they came to the arena at different times, the three Shield members usually just met up at the superstar locker room and most of the time it was Seth that arrived before either Roman or Dean. And sure enough, as Roman got to the locker room Seth was already there and waiting for them. He was talking to CM Punk, one of the superstars that actually didn't care if they were there in the locker room.

"Hey guys." Seth said as he was lacing his boots for their match.

Most of the other superstars hated the fact that The Shield was brought in at all. But with the sudden success of the group, the three of them were a constant topic of disgust discussion in the locker room. Case in point, as Roman was getting his vest on, out of the corner of his eye he caught Sheamus glaring at him as the Irishman was lacing his own boots.

"What's with you and the Irish Red over there?" CM Punk asked, nodding his head towards Sheamus who was talking to Cena.

"Same interests, different ideas." Roman responded velcroing his vest on the side.

"Huh?" Punk asked, scrunching up his nose as if he smelt something bad. This was the men's locker room after all.

"Some chick, Mallory or something like that. She works with the divas." Dean filled him in.

"AJ knows her, she speaks highly of the woman. I think AJ said something about getting out of a volatile marriage or something like that. She does not want to deal with men right now."

"I can see why she was all about Sheamus leaving her alone last night." Roman tried to mumble to himself but he wasn't going to hide it from the rest of them.

"That just made your efforts so much harder." Dean remarked as he was wrapping his wrists.

"Hey, if she's not willing then I'll make sure she keeps to her wishes. Sheamus was really persistent last night to the point where she really didn't want anything to do with him."

As more and more of the night's superstars started arriving for the show and the closer to show time the anticipation and jitters started ramping up amongst them. Also the tension between Roman and Sheamus could be seen as every once in a while one could be seen glaring at the other, the other glaring in return and neither backing down.

"Dude, I can't deal with your macho issues right now. Go get me a water bottle." Dean said to Roman.

Growling, the Samoan stood up and stalked out of the locker room. Roman didn't know what to do. The last thing he wanted was to start a backstage feud. The first thing being a superstar is that keep your personal issues in the locker room. Don't bring it into the show. That's what his father, Sika of the Wild Samoans, taught him.

As he was rounding a corner, eyes forward instead of down, he ran right into something. Something small and female. Finally paying attention, he looked down and found the blond from the night club on the floor picking up some loose papers she had dropped in their collision.

"I am so sorry." It was Roman saying that line to her as he bent down to pick up the papers that were at his feet.

She looked at him, a small smile gracing her face. "It's okay. I wasn't watching where I was going."

"If it's any consolation, neither was I. My head isn't with me right now."

Mallory, she was a unique woman. She didn't carry on a slutty personality. She looked, in Roman's opinion, like a proper business woman. She wore a black pencil skirt, a matching professional black blouse and her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. She had her WWE staff ID badge swinging around her neck along with a necklace he'd never seen before. It was a single stone necklace, baby blue in color hanging on a gold chain. It delicately rested against her collar bone, tempting him as it swayed with her movements.

Bringing his attention back to more PG related thoughts, he helped her pick up the fallen papers with ease.

"I'll try to watch where I'm going next time." She said as he and her stood up together.

"I'll do the same. I'm the kind of person that can do damage." And he was telling the fact, the straight fact. Everyone knew he was that kind of man.

"I'll remember that." The tone of her voice slipped out, a side of her shown something to him. Roman realized too late that now she was scared of him.

"Mallory, wait." He called out, making her stop.

"Yeah? What?" She looked at him with raised brows and a tilt of her head.

"I'm sorry if I came off sounding, uh, pigheaded." He held his hands up. "I've been taught to respect women, I'd never raise my hand to one."

"I can handle myself." She finally said. "But only because you seem like one of the good ones."

"Good ones?" He raised an eyebrow at that one.

"You haven't tried anything with me. So I guess that's a good thing."

It didn't mean he wasn't going to try, that's for sure.

"Hey, I'm heading out to a bar with some of the guys later. Want to join me?"

"No." Then she shook her head. "No, I mean sorry I can't. The divas are heading out early tonight and I need to escort them to the next venue. But, rain check?" She held the papers tighter to herself. He could see her biting the inside of her lip.

"Sure, that'd be cool. Stay safe." He said, before walking around her.

"Roman," she called out to him making him turn towards her. "You stay safe as well."

That was the nicest thing anyone could have told him at that moment.

* * *

**Several Hours Later- After the Match**

"Yes, sweetie, I'm fine." Roman said, his phone pressed to his ear.

The medic was tending to the cut over his eye, the one he got from Orton in the ring. A misplaced Brogue kick later and Dean managed to get the Irishman back for his attack on Roman. There was no doubt that Roman would need stitches. The moment he got backstage, one of his cousins brought him his ringing phone.

"Yes, Shayna, Daddy's fine." He said again, wincing at the pain in his eyebrow.

Mallory had seen the incident in the ring. She wasn't sure if it was planned or what, but she knew that the large Samoan was hurt. Out of curiosity she passed by the medic area, and peaked in. She could see his feet, that was all she could see of Roman because there were other people of the medical staff tending to his face.

"Need help there, Sunshine?" Mallory jumped when someone spoke up behind her.

When she found both Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose there, well it was obvious why they were there in the first place.

"No," she responded squaring her shoulders. "I was just seeing what was going on. Is he okay?" She asked, jabbing her thumb into the room.

"Just a cut over his eye. He'll need a few stitches." Dean crossed his arms, looking at her from head to toe. It was a little uncomfortable for Mallory that was for sure. Like he was gaging her, seeing if she was worthy enough for something.

She pursed her lips for a moment. "Oh," she said fidgeting with the papers in her arms. "Glad to hear he's okay." And without saying anything else she left.

"Do I smell that bad?" Dean asked, looking at Seth.

"I don't know, I can't smell anything other than myself." He lifted his arm slightly before putting it down. "No, that's all you. I smell like roses."

"Will you two shut up? I've got a headache." Roman's voice called out to them.

Both laughed while enter that room. Roman was sitting up as one of the medics made sure that the stitches stayed in place. Their biggest member was the one that had been hurt. Usually it was either Dean or Seth, but this time it was Roman.

"How's it, Man?" Dean asked, crossing his arms.

Ignoring the question, Roman asked, "Who were you talking to a minute ago?"

"Your Mallory was out there, looking in on you." Seth said.

"My Mallory?" If Roman could raise one eyebrow he would but it would be too painful for him.

"Yeah, you've got a thing for her. I mean, I prefer brunettes." Seth smirked. "Dean, well he's a different story. The faker the boobs the better the experience."

"Oh shut your damn mouth." Dean shoved Seth, who was still laughing and they both were at this point. "Anyway, he's ready to go, right?" He turned to look at the medic.

"Good to go. Just make sure you don't move your eyebrow so much. You may rip your stitches."

"Right, thanks." Roman already knew the process of stitches, having been a pro football player in his college years and some time in the NFL himself. "I think I can handle it from here."

"We grabbed your gear and put it out in the rental." Seth told him as Roman slipped off the table.

"Thanks."

Another day, another night, another show; it was all the same for him. That's all it ever was to him, to Roman it was another process to deal with. And the next day he would be heading to the gym again for the Friday Night SmackDown tapings. But the thing he wanted was to go to sleep for a week. At least for the night.

"Roman," he heard her say, calling his name.

Mallory stood in the hall, the show wasn't over and the divas still had their part in the show going on. Dean and Seth left him in the hall with the woman.

"Mallory," he said lowly as he allowed her to approach him.

"How's the eye?" She asked.

"It's going to swell for sure." He said as he saw her leaning to one side so that she could get a better look. "But I think it's going to be fine. I'm not in action for the Friday Night Smackdown taping tomorrow night."

"That's good. Um, you know that offer you and I discussed, the rain check?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I'm free tomorrow night. If you want to go out for that drink, well we can do it then."

"Great. Great, I'll see if I can get a few hours after that. Do you have your phone, so I can put my number in yours?"

"Um, yeah." She was hesitant, looking away from him and down at her feet as she fumbled for her phone. "I just don't like giving it out."

"Well, how about this way. You and I meet up in catering and then we can discuss it."

It was like seeing a river wash away dirt, her uncertainty washed away and was replaced with a brief look of relief. She smiled at him and nodded. That was enough for Roman to know that he had done the right thing.

"I like that idea. Thank you for not pushing the issue."

"Why would I push it? I mean you have a right to be protective of yourself around someone you don't know. So I'm going to play it your way."

Roman was sure that if there was a chance with her, then he would play it out to the bitter end. If he gets her, then that would be a win for him. As he watched her leave he felt a surge of emotion pool in his chest, making him stand straighter. Just knowing that she wanted to make sure he was okay was enough for him to know he had a chance.

"So, what happened?" Dean smirked at Roman when he had returned to their rental.

Even Seth was smirking as he was loading up his gear into the car.

"Nothing really. She was just making sure that I was okay."

"And…" Seth pressed.

"We'll be meeting up in the catering room tomorrow night to discuss what we'll be doing after the show."

"Since we have a week off, sure." Dean's smile grew bigger as he leaned against the car.

"You're just jealous," Roman stated as he hoisted his gear bag into the trunk of the car. "I actually have a chance with someone when neither of you do."

"Hey, I've just got out of a bad relationship." Seth held his hands up. "I don't want anything to do with chicks right now. And don't bring me into your bitch fights. Sorry, the two of you are like gossiping chicks that it looks more like a cat fight."

"That's what makes us best friends." Dean sneered as he slipped into the driver's seat.

Yeah, it sure did. Roman shook his head as he closed the trunk and then made his way to the front passenger seat.

"Why am I stuck in the back?" Seth grumbled as he slipped on his seat belt.

"Because you're the youngest and you're the shortest. And I don't want Roman kicking my ass." Dean responded putting the car in gear.

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**Well there is Chapter 2, and I hope you guys enjoyed it. ****The 3rd Chapter will be up in a day or so because I am really busy lately. See you there!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Here be Chapter Three!**

* * *

The filming for Friday Night SmackDown was customary for some superstars to come by and hang out if they are not in the show. CM Punk was there but he wasn't in the show. And he was talking to Seth in catering when Roman appeared in the area. Dean was somewhere, who knows where, and that left the third member of The Shield to do what he promised to do.

Mallory Tindel was standing at the catering table, selecting cookies of all things to eat during the show. She was eating Oreo cookies, and some chocolate ship cookies. For some reason Roman could see her liking cookies and milk, he sure did as a kid.

"You know, there is always a better way of eating those." He said when he got in ear shot of the pretty blond.

She jerked, nearly dropping her plate. With a cookie hanging out of her mouth, she gazed up at him like a deer caught in a headlight, or like his daughter any time she was caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Her eyes were opened so big he could see her blue eyes more clearly. Reaching over to the table, Roman picked up a napkin and held it out to her.

"Here, don't want you to get crumbs on your nice shirt." He said.

Mallory mumbled something along the lines of thanks, at least to his ears that's what she said. Swallowing the food in her mouth, she dabbed the corner of her mouth.

"Thanks." She finally said, earning a smile from him. "So, what did you want to do tonight?"

"What did you have in mind?"

"I don't know. I haven't been to Colorado before to know what to do around Denver." She shifted from one foot to the other. "I would like to do something, well fun. Off the wall. Not a club per say but something…" she swiveled her hand, her index finger pointing out as she looked away. "Something unique and memorable, that's what I'm going for."

"Well, now you have my attention, sweetheart." Roman crossed his arms. "What sort of thing tickles your fancy?"

"I used to go paint balling, so laser tag would be the next best thing. If I win, you buy me a drink at the nearest bar. If you win, well I'll buy you a drink."

"A woman with a streak in her." Roman held his hand out. "It's a deal, Mal."

"Mal?" She looked at him, her brows furrowed slightly.

He dropped his hand. "Okay, so I need to work on giving you a nickname. Can't say I'm original."

"No, you're not an original. You're a one of a kind. So, after the taping we meet back here and then we head out. Got it?"

"Yep, got it."

"Good. You deserve a cookie." She held out another cookie that she had in her stash towards him.

He waved his hand at the offer. "I don't eat before a show." He saw her smile fade slightly. "But thanks. We'll get something afterward, I promise." Roman said then looked over his shoulder. "I have to go. Meet you later?"

"Yeah, I hope so." Her voice dipped slightly when she said that.

"Don't worry, Mallory, I won't let you down. See you soon." Roman said before heading off to where he saw Dean walk in.

Dean smirked when seeing the woman watch Roman walk across the room. He knew, he instantly knew that she was just as smitten with him as Roman was with her. Mallory, what an interesting kind of woman to have the hots for his best friend.

"So, what are you up to tonight?" Dean asked.

"Well, I'm going to be taking a later flight out tomorrow so I won't be getting into Utah until later Thursday for our house show on Friday."

"Well," Dean countered. "Let me know how it turns out for you."

"She is the one that brought it up actually. I gave her the space and the choice and she went with it." Roman shrugged one shoulder as they both headed over to where Seth and CM Punk were hanging out. "It's up to her now."

"Are you even trying to bed that chick?"

"Nope, though the thought has crossed my mind. I do want her to get used to me though. I've said some things that she took as all literal. I'm not sure of where she thinks that I would ever put a hand on her."

Dean didn't say anything, just stared at him. "She thinks you would physically hurt her?"

"Who?" Seth asked.

"Just that chick Roman's been sweating over." Dean said. "She's got issues with guys."

"Mallory, right?" CM Punk asked with a tilt of his head. "I think I heard AJ telling me something about that but I don't remember what."

"I wish I knew what you guys were talking about." Seth spoke up, scratching his head slightly.

"We'll explain it on the way to the locker room." Dean grabbed Seth's shoulder and actually dragged him towards the door that led out of the catering room.

"Do you think she had been hurt by a man before?" CM Punk asked.

Roman looked at him slightly. "It's the way she reacted to something I said. And I felt like a douche afterward, damn near kicked myself for saying something about being capable of really hurting someone. I got to go, Man. See ya around."

"Right."

Half way across the catering room Sheamus suddenly appeared out of nowhere making Roman stop. Man versus man, a stare off like no other. Granted most of the wrestling was preplanned, staged but these were still humans, most were males and they had their masculinity to worry about. Like a bunch of animals circling their prize. And if that prize had more than one male circling it then that was just as bad.

"Listen to me, Fella. You have no right to her." Sheamus stated.

"We talking about Mallory right now?"

"Yes, Mallory." He growled as he took a step towards Roman. "Stay away from her."

"Listen, Fella," Roman took a step in. "You can't tell me what to do. I'm not going stay away from her because you said so." Then his voice lowered even more. "But, I know for a fact that she likes me better than you."

"I'll just make it obvious that you're the shite of the roster." Sheamus stepped back and headed over to where John Cena was hanging out with Randy Orton.

Not that he liked any of them, Cena less than ever, but at least Orton was bearable. Not really caring about what they were talking about, Roman decided to get ready for the tapings.

* * *

Roman descended the stairs that led to the ring. It was always the same to him. It was a rush, a feel of walking through the chaos of fans and the audience the either loved them or hated them.

The thrum of the cheer vibrated in his chest as he followed Seth down the stairs with Dean in the lead. He focused on his match, the one where he stood ringside while Seth took on one Roman's cousins.

The Usos were waiting down in the ring for the three of them to get ringside. Granted he was a heel and they were faces, but they were family and yet they were usually put together in matches. So staying in character was a little on the hard side because him and his cousins were so close.

Jimmy and Jey stared down The Shield when they got over the barrier that surrounded the ring. They had gone through it all before hand, the places where Roman and Dean needed to be on the outside of the ring and where they were going to intervene in the match. And it was all being played out in Roman's head as he tried forgetting one fact.

Mallory was sitting ringside. She was tasked with keeping a family member to one of the divas company, something that she was tasked with whenever a family member came on the road. Mallory was still really attractive to Roman, there was no doubt about that. And she smiled when he looked in her direction, but staying in character he looked away and back to his cousins.

For the most part, the match was going as planned. Seth versus one of the Uso brothers and it was just another night of wrestling for them. Every once in a while Roman would glance over at Mallory and catch himself from smiling at her. He had a part in the show and he had to focus on that, and not the pretty girl that was sitting ring side.

With the Shield back on the rise in the WWE, with prospects of getting the tag titles again, this match needed to count. Roman knew that there was no way that they would loose, though with matches being preplanned for the most part this one in particular was to showcase Seth and Roman getting their belts back.

Right place, wrong time. As Jey kicked him, the stitches over his eye opened right up. Blood trailed down his face as Roman stumbled back against the barrier. While fans liked touching superstars, patting their backs and arms, slapping some times, there was a hand resting on his forearm. That soft hand made Roman look up slightly and down to his left side. There was Mallory, standing on the other side of the barricade looking at him with her big blue eyes. Worry was etched over her face as he stepped back, preparing to engage in the melee that that going on in the ring with Dean and Seth.

Since the match was disqualified, ending with a total brutal attack on Jimmy Uso by way of Triple Bomb, the three hounds of Justice headed backstage. Well, Dean and Seth headed for the locker room while Roman headed towards the medic room.

"I would really like to know why you are persistent on opening up this wound." The head medic said as he removed the broken stitches from Roman's brow.

"Because I'm so damn stupid." He responded, his hands clasped over his stomach while his eyes were closed.

Roman knew that Shayna was not going to be happy with him, his little girl took too much after his mother in worry about Daddy when it came to wrestling. But what he didn't want to get rid of was the look on Mallory's face. Even though he enjoyed the touch of her hand on him, Roman pulled away gruffly like his character. Hopefully she didn't take it personally.

By the time that Roman was finished with getting his brow stitched up again, the show itself was almost over. A quick scan of a nearby monitor showed that Mallory and the other chick she was with were no longer in their seats, hoping that meant that they were backstage, Roman stood up from the exam table.

"Just take it easy until next Monday. That's all I ask." The head medic Steve said.

"I will, don't worry about that." Roman laughed before heading out of the door.

He went to turn left once walking out of the doorway, only to run right into someone. Someone small, who squeaked when their bodies made contact with each other.

"Roman, oh my gosh, are you okay?" Mallory asked looking up at him.

Not really believing his luck at the moment, Roman gave her an almost blank stare. That stare started up a round of questions from the woman in front of him.

"Did you get a concussion?" She reached up, her hand stopping as if realizing what she was about to do. "Are you okay?" She asked again as her hand coming to rest at her side. "Did it hurt?"

Mentally shaking himself, Roman nodded. "Yeah it hurts a little but I just needed to get myself stitched up again. A few of them popped loose when my cousin high kicked me in the face."

"Are you still up to heading out after the show? I understand if you don't want to."

The way she said that, it almost sounded like a child. Not a full grown woman that she really appeared to be.

"We'll have to do a rain check on the laser tag." He saw her frown deeply, a sigh breezed through her nose as she shifted her weight. "But, dinner still sounds good to me. Do you have any preference?"

"I like Chinese."

"Chinese it is then. Let me go get changed, I need a shower so I'll meet you out at the back door in about twenty minutes, okay?"

"Okay." She nodded, biting her lip, she walked off.

All of a sudden Roman couldn't wait to head out into the city with her. For once everything was going right for him. His career, his personal life, well all except for one thing.

He was in a hall when he heard that annoying Irish accent.

"That be my girl, Fella." Sheamus said from behind him. "How did you get her to go with ya?" He asked.

"That, Sheamus, is a trade secret." Roman said as he looked back at the Irishman. "I guess I'm the one with all the game around here, instead of you."

With a heartfelt laugh on his part, Roman headed off towards the men's locker room to prepare for his night out in the big city with a pretty lady.

* * *

**Well there you have it. Chapter Three. I hope you enjoyed it. Until next time, see you guys around.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Here's Chapter 4, Guys. Hope you like it.**

* * *

Roman saw Mallory pacing when he managed to get out of the locker room. She kept biting her lip, something that he was starting to accept as a cute thing from her. But she looked worried, from what Roman could tell. He didn't know why she would be worried about this, about him. He had no intentions- well that was a lie on his part- but still, there was something wrong.

"Mallory, hi." Roman said as approached with his stuff. "I told you I wouldn't let you down."

"You didn't." She rubbed her chest, like she was rubbing away an ache. "Don't worry, you didn't. So, still up for Chinese?"

"Yeah, that sounds right. Let me," He started to say but she reached for the door and opening it.

She smiled at him slightly as she stepped out and held the door open for him. "I know, it's not what a woman should be doing but you have your hands full."

"Thanks," he smiled back at her before walking out of the building. "This way, I told the guys I had the rental tonight."

"Are they mad about that?"

"Nah, they're heading out with a few of the guys early, like my cousins The Usos. I'll just leave tomorrow, it's nothing to worry about."

"Oh, um okay." She was fiddling with her hands, playing with the ring on her right ring finger.

They stayed in a quiet sort of peace. Roman was going to let this go on for as long as he wanted.

"Are you into any sports? Besides wrestling?"

"Actually I don't PA for sports usually. I'm more big wig moguls and people like that."

"Then what made you get this job?"

"I rather not say." She looked away from him, biting her lip again. "I never really traveled so when this job offer came up I felt that it was time for a change. I needed a change in my life. Is that a good enough answer?"

"Traveling like I do, I don't ever get a chance to go home to my girl."

"How long have you been seeing each other." She asked, obviously not knowing anything about Roman Reigns or his family.

"For a few years now, ever since she was born actually." Mallory turned to look at him with a confused way. Any more confused and she would have The Rock's brow arch under control. "She's my daughter, Shayna. She is about six years old right now."

"Oh." She sighed in a way that Roman didn't know how to call it. "So, you're not seeing anyone?"

"My ex cheated on me while I was on the road. We were high school sweethearts, and when we had Shayna we decided to become a family, you know. But…" he sighed gruffly, nearly growling. His own pain surfacing. "I still haven't gotten over being betrayed you know."

"Yeah, I know." Mallory shoved her hands into her pockets. "Can I ask you something, about your heritage? Or do you get asked that a lot?"

"I'm Samoan. My daughter is half black and half Samoan. Actually my cousin Jimmy married his long time girlfriend Naomi."

"Of the Funkadactyls?"

"Yep, that's the one. He's proud of himself, so is the rest of our family."

"Family means the world to you, doesn't it?" Mallory asked as they came to stop in front of the rental Roman was using.

"Yeah, it is. I mean, I'm one of five kids just in my family." Opening the trunk, he hefted his luggages into it. "I have an older brother and three younger sisters. Holidays are a big thing, we usually end up in some state or another during Christmas and Thanksgiving, or Easters, to spend time with families. I think this year my parents are heading to San Francisco to be with Uncle Rakishi and The Usos' family. Rakishi is The Usos' Dad."

"I was an only child, you know. Mom and Dad, well, that was just a normal thing I guess. I don't have any siblings, my parents were never really close to their families so I never really grew up with anyone."

"You had to play by yourself?" This time it was Roman opening the passenger door for Mallory.

"I made friends easily." She gave a one shoulder shrugged. She also waited for him to get in before she continued. "I mean I felt loved and accepted, but I didn't have the closeness feel of the family that you have."

"Well, let's talk about something that you do like to do. I don't want to make this outing feel like a downer for you." Roman stated at he turned the key in the rental.

She seemed to think about it as Roman drove out of the parking lot where the superstars had been allowed to park, away from the crowd's parking area. "I picked up laser tag from a military chick friend of mine that I met a while ago. Instead of paint balling, which I have done before, she introduced me to using my senses. She said that a girl needs to be aware of her surroundings more and more these days."

"Sounds like you and her were a great match."

"She is, actually. She was the one that turned me onto working here."

"Yeah? Why's that?"

Slowly, a smile sort of graced Mallory's face. "Cynthia Bryan is my friend."

Nearly stomping on the break at the oncoming red light, Roman looked at her. "Cynthia Bryan, as in Daniel Bryan's sister? The one that came up from NXT?"

"Yeah, that's the one. I mean she and I just clicked. I had been visiting down in NXT in it's Florida base not too long ago, after my marriage and she suggested that I come work for the WWE. It would be a great way for me to open myself. That was when I was going through my divorce with my first husband." She looked down at her hands as she said that.

Something else was lying underneath those words, something that she wasn't telling him at the moment. Slightly tightening his hands around the wheel, Roman looked ahead of them as he drove along.

"Have you found a place to eat yet?"

"Oh, yeah, um…" she held up her phone, flicking the screen slightly before looking up and around herself. "Over there. Take that street." She pointed to the right at where the next set of street lights were hanging. "Take a right at this street."

"Right turn, Clyde."

"What?" She flicked her eyes over at him before glancing down at her phone again.

"You've never watched Every Which Way But Loose?"

"Is that a movie?"

"I'll explain it when we get to the restaurant. Now where to?"

"It's not far away." She promised, giving him a slight smile in response.

* * *

They had been at the Chinese restaurant for nearly twenty minutes, most of it Roman explaining to Mallory the premise of the movie he had mentioned earlier.

"You've never watched it have you?"

"A man with an orangutan? I don't think I have." She said, stirring the water in her glass with the straw she was given. "But I like those sort of movies, with animals in the lead roles. Have you ever been in a movie?"

"No, but I have been in the NFL. I was with the Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars for their off season training squads. But I was apart of the Canadian Football League Edmonton Eskimos team."

"What position were you?"

"I mainly play Defensive Tackle, which is where I honed my spear from."

"Does your history in football play a big part in your wrestling now? Like your spear move thing?"

"Somewhat, similar training and weight training that I did when I was in football. But the real fitness fanatic in The Shield is Seth, he's more into it. He's the total package when it comes to protein shakes and all that crap."

"So what would you do to counter the Chinese food?" She leaned back in the booth seat.

"A lot of morning exercises and something like that."

"I would constantly do morning runs, before my parents got up I would slip out and I would go for a run."

"Sounds like something that I would do." Roman smirked. "Running, I used to take morning runs on the beach back in Pensacola, Florida. Have you ever been down there before? I know you said that you used to go to the NXT place in Florida. Have you ever been to Pensacola?"

"Uh, No, not to Pensacola." She twirled her straw in the glass of water again. She'd been doing that a lot lately, Roman noticed. "But," she stopped herself.

"But what?" "But the only reason why I was in Florida to begin was when I was married to my ex. He worked with NXT and I would come by. I mean I had fun. Fun in the sun and all of that. But, well, the last time that I was in Florida was for my recent divorce and it just didn't go well, that's all I want to say."

He nodded, not sure if his thoughts were getting ahead of himself or what. Had something bad happened to her, something that she was not letting out?

Finally their food came. She had a plate full of sweet and sour chicken with white rice, with a side of chicken egg rolls. The waitress set down Roman's own beef something or another, he wasn't sure what it was but whatever it was had to be beef. Beef and broccoli. There was some sort of noodle that went with his meal.

"Is it good," she asked as she picked up her chopsticks.

He lifted his fork to his mouth, taking a bite. A few chews later, he nodded. "Yeah, it's pretty damn good."

Mallory smiled before enjoying her own meal. She mixed her rice and chicken together, not eating one without the other. She also ate with chopsticks, instead of the usual utensils like Roman was using. Though the talk between the two were limited throughout that meal, Roman could tell she was relaxed.

"So, what's in store for you come this next show?" She asked, dabbing the corners of her mouth with her napkin.

"Another round of ass kicking, you know, the usual that The Shield is used to doing. I think we're getting put into another angle or something for the storyline. We've had a run at The Wyatt's…" he saw her silently shudder, shaking her shoulders as she twisted her neck slightly. "Something wrong, Mallory?"

"Uh, no. Nothing." He could tell she was lying straight off the bat. "Just a chill is all." She ran her hands over her arms. "I think they turned on the AC or something."

No, the restaurant hadn't. But Roman didn't correct on it.

"Anyway, The Wyatt family was first, I think we're going to become something of a fan favorite, or at least try to."

"But Creative isn't sure are they?" Mallory asked as she reached for her purse.

"What are you doing?" Roman asked, reaching over and stopping her. "Don't you know it's impolite for a woman to pay for the meal?"

She looked startled. It was like Mallory was scared. Releasing her arm, Roman tried to reassure her with a smile. "Don't worry, I got it, Mallory."

Visibly shaking, she retracted her hand from the bag. "Okay. But next time I'm the one paying for the meal."

"Sure, if you say so." He responded as he handed the waitress his credit card.

* * *

The drive back to the hotel was a long one, well not really but with the thick silence in the rental it was long to Roman. He glanced over at Mallory as they got to one red light about three blocks from the hotel.

Mallory had her hands clasped in her lap, her head turned to look out of the passenger window. She was staring at nothing in particular.

"Is everything okay, Mallory?" She looked over at Roman. "You seem to be lost in thought."

"I'm fine. I'm just remembering what it felt like to have fun for once."

"What, this is the first time you've had fun?"

"In a long time, at least." She looked back out her window. "When I was married, I didn't have fun like this."

"He didn't take you out?"

"No, he used to but after a while, after the glow of the first couple years of marriage were over, we just got into a sort of stale state of being."

Well at least she was opening up. That was a good thing.

"So, I'm just not used to it." She finished.

"Well, you better get used to it." Roman smiled as he eased the car along. "You're in the WWE now. You have a right to have some fun while you're here."

Finally they got to the hotel, and just as they did, Mallory's cell phone went off. Swiping at the screen, she looked at the message.

"It's one of the divas. She needs help with her script for Monday's show." Mallory looked up at him.

"Skits are amongst the hardest things for people to do around here. Most of us were just trained in wrestling, some of us don't really have a good mike skill."

"Is this coming from experience?" "Yeah, just about. Before entering the WWE, back when FCW turned into NXT, I didn't do a lot of mike skills. It's been working out better here."

"Like what you said to the Wyatt Family, Come down here and talk that noise?"

"Pretty much." Roman said as he turned into the parking lot to the hotel. "What floor are you on?" "Why?" She started fidgeting with her fingers again.

"Well, being a gentleman, I would like to walk you back to your room. Just to make sure you got in okay." She shook her head. "No, I don't feel comfortable with that." She said as Roman parked the rental. "Thank you for agreeing to go out dinner with me, you were a nice man, but I don't allow any man to know where I sleep at night." She opened the door and got out with little to no effort.

She closed the door and walked away, never looking back.

Out of anger, and in spite, Roman slammed his hands against the steering wheel several times before he decided to call it a night as well.

"Strike one for me. But I am not giving up just yet." He said as he stalked his way to the hotel lobby.

* * *

**Due to my busy schedule, with family and other November obligations, my updating will be infrequent at best. Just a little heads up for future postings.**


	5. Chapter 5

**This is just for you, Calwitch and for everyone who has wanted me to update Rush of Emotion.**

* * *

It took a week to see Mallory again. But this time it was different. It was hard to say but the last time he had left her she was beautiful, but this time he saw something on her collarbone.

"Mallory, hey." He stopped her when she tried to mouse her way through the hall.

She looked up at him, which made the bruise all the more prominent on her skin.

"What happened?"

"Remember the ex I was talking to you about?" He nodded at her question. "Well, he's not fond of me being around the company too much. Cynthia Bryan was there and she luckily stopped him from really hurting me. I've been hiding out around here though."

"Who is your ex?"

"I don't, I don't really want to talk about it."

"Mal, please," it wasn't easy to beg, especially from a guy like him, but he did. Roman had to beg just to get her to look at him. "I only want you to be safe." He admitted. "If someone is hurting you, then you need to get help."

She looked down. But when she looked up again to say something because her mouth was open. But someone else spoke.

"Ya been putting your hands on her, Reigns?" He heard from behind him.

Not now, now when she was going to tell him what was going on. "I don't raise my hand to a woman, Sheamus." He said as he slowly turned around to look at the Irishman.

Sheamus laughed snidely. "I bet. Look at her, she's scared."

Roman looked at Mallory and indeed she did look scared. But it wasn't because of him, at least he had hoped it wasn't that fact. Could it have been the two wrestlers that seemed to be fighting over her- in front of her no less.

"By you probably. Lass, if you think you have a prayer in ya, then ya better not be sitting around with this fella."

She sighed, closed her eyes and then looked at each of the men. "I had a fun time with you Roman. And Sheamus, you have no idea about my life, neither of you do. And I would like that you both stay away from me."

He thought he had her, he thought that maybe she would just tell him. But that jackass.

"Someone is hurting her and it's not me."

"A lass like that does not deserve a man like you." Sheamus looked at the Samoan.

"Woman like that does not need a man like you." Roman recanted. "I am going to find out who hurt her. And he's going to get justice for what he did to her."

Roman was certain that there was someone he could find to answer the questions that were swimming around in his head. Of all the things that he needed was his friends.

"Where's Seth?" Roman asked as he got to the locker room.

"I don't know, somewhere. Why?" Dean asked as he was zipping up his pants.

"Someone hurt Mallory and I want him to pay."

Dean looked at his friend. Any time there was mention of justice and pain in the same sentence, Dean got a little too happy with himself. But this time, the look appeared to be different. Roman knew most of the looks Dean possessed, this one was different in some way. Like he knew something, something important.

"You have no idea what you're getting into." Dean finally said.

"Wait, do you know what I'm talking about?" Roman asked as he returned the look to his friend.

"I've heard things. Some things I wish I didn't hear or see. I know who she was married to. It was back in NXT before it became FCW, that's when they got married, actually. And he was less insane."

Insane? Was that a code word? Insane?

"Who?"

"Wyatt." Dean announced as he sat down on the locker room bench to tie up his boots. "I had thought I seen her before. It took me a while to realize that she was the beat up chick I helped out back in FCW."

There had been an incident some years back in FCW. Dean Ambrose found a bloodied woman in a closet at the training facility that doubled for the FCW shows. Roman hadn't thought about that incident in a long time, nothing really came out of it, not that he was paying attention to anything else but his wrestling career at the time.

"Wait, that was Mallory? The chick with the bloodied face? What happened to her?"

"Don't know." Dean shrugged. "But whatever it was prompted me to start asking her questions. All she said was Wyatt. Remember when he was taken off the roster for a while?"

"Yeah."

"Assault apparently. But the charges were finally dropped around the time The Family showed up in FCW."

"But she finally got a divorce, right?"

"Dude, that was after she divorced him. That was the reason why she was all bloodied up. But she went to work with NXT some months later and then she got transferred up here. At least that is what I know about her. It took me a while to recognize who she was."

"Why didn't you speak up about this before?"

"I only started realizing who she was when she started coming around to see you, Big Guy. She's very introvert, but when she trusts someone, then she's better at opening up. If you want to go find someone who knows the entire details, go look for Cynthia Bryan. And while you're at it, find Seth. He's been pining for Daniel's sister since I don't know when."

"What about you?"

"I'm going to find something to do. Or someone. You know me, Man. Ah, what the hell, let's go find Mallory. Now that I know what's going on, and I feel sorry for her, I don't want a repeat of what happened back in FCW." Dean said as he headed for the locker room door.

Luckily they were given their own locker room, which was beneficial. He didn't want to be in the same locker room as Sheamus any longer than he had to.

* * *

Roman was sure that Cynthia Bryan was around the arena. She usually was when it came to having to travel with her older brother Daniel Bryan. She was a diva after all, but without walking into the divas' locker room to look for her, Roman knew that he had to find her some other way. So that meant he had to look around the halls. Or quite possibly just look for Seth.

He found her standing against the wall, talking to Seth. She was a brunette with blue eyes, pouty lips and a curvy body, the curves were do to the fact that she was more of a fighter than a diva and apparently Seth was very fond of her.

"Sorry to interrupt you two," Roman said as he approached the two of them. "I need help with something." He looked pointedly at Cynthia.

"Sure, I guess. What do you need help with?"

"I need to find Mallory and talk to her. I know about Bray Wyatt being her ex husband and he…"

"He tried choking her. I was there." The slight woman interrupted him. "And unfortunately I don't know where she had gone off to."

"Why not?"

"She went to go talk to the divas but she never showed up and rightly it's not her style. But this furry fornicator trapped me against my will. Come on, if you really want to find her lets go. I'll see if she is in the locker room. Stay outside the door for me, okay." She said before walking off.

Seth, like a faithful dog, followed her without much of a fight. Dean must have seen what Roman did because the slightly older man just groaned. Seth would be watching her ass as she walked away. Who wouldn't when she was now wearing her wrestling shorts and a tank top with a flower design on it? She was about average height for a female, maybe five foot seven, dirty blond to light brown hair with blue eyes. Roman did notice though that she would look over her shoulder pointedly at Seth, smile and then keep walking.

If he wasn't so hooked on finding Mallory at that moment, he would bet that Cynthia and Seth had a thing going on.

"Are you two together?" Dean finally broke that silence by asking the question.

Seth chuckled. "Daniel won't allow us to be together." He responded.

"But really it isn't any of his business if we are or aren't. Right now, I'm just focusing on my wrestling career, trying to stay away from the goat parade and the yes movement. Hard to do, you know. I'm constantly in my brother's shadow."

"I can understand that." Roman murmured to himself, thinking about his cousins and his father once being in the company as well, the people that he was trying not to emulate.

At the diva's locker room, Cynthia walked in before turning around to look at the guys. "Stay here, I'll check to see if she's in here." She said before ducking her head back in.

The three men looked like the odd ones out, leaning against a wall together in a line. Not that Roman could help it. Usually it was Dean who had issues staying still, even Seth had the impossibility of keeping a foot from tapping. Roman just couldn't stand still, stubbing the toe of his boot against the floor as he waited for Cynthia to get out of the locker room.

"Dude, you're making me nervous." Dean looked at his friend.

"That's because I'm so fucking nervous. Now that I know what's going on I can't help but not to be so damn paranoid." He slapped the wall with his open hand.

"What's going on?" Seth asked, looking down the hall to see if anyone had witnessed Roman's slight outburst.

Dean decided to fill in the details for the younger man. "Simple, Bray Wyatt is Mallory's ex husband. And he bruised her up."

"Shit, man." Seth shook his head. "I can't believe that would happen to someone sweet like her."

Sweet was an understatement.

The door to the locker room opened and Naomi stuck her head out. "Roman, you're needed in here. You two, stay out here." The pretty black woman said as she opened the door for the cousin of her husband.

Roman glanced at Dean who nodded. "We'll keep watch, see if Wyatt or Sheamus come through here looking for her."

That would be helpful, Roman thought to himself as he followed Naomi into locker room. Luckily there was a diva's match going on so there weren't any other divas beside Naomi in the locker room. It was back towards the showers that Roman picked up faint whimpering of a woman. And it wasn't Cynthia.

Sitting on the tile floor in the shower area was Mallory, her blond hair darker now that it was wet. Wrapped in a white towel, her shoulders bare and scars littering her back like splatters of pink paint. Cynthia was kneeling down next to her, trying to calm her down as Mallory pressed her hand to her face.

"Mal?" Roman hated how his voice seemed to bounce off the tiles.

She stiffened up, refusing to look at him. But she did speak. "I need help." She said.

Cynthia looked at him. "He came in here while I was out, while Naomi was talking to Jimmy. He came in here."

"Did he touch you?"

"No, just scared me." Mallory responded.

He knelt down next to her, ignoring the dampness the seeped into the knees and the shins of his cargo pants. Roman didn't know whether to touch her or just let her be. Cynthia was there, a calm hand on her shoulder, while the water that had showered her started to dry on Mallory's face. The only droplets were the tears that were falling down her cheeks.

"What do you want to do? How can I help you?" He asked.

She looked at him finally. Damn it, he thought looking into her eyes. They were red from crying and the pain was there. He could see the depth of her soul pleading, asking for help.

"I don't know if you can help me, Roman." She responded.

"Do you have any place to stay tonight?" He asked her.

"Seth and I were going to go out tonight." Cynthia said. "But, could you watch her. Make sure she's okay?"

He nodded. "I'll do anything to make sure she's fine."

"Great, because you're going on soon." Cynthia said. "I'll stay here with her, I'll put her in your locker room and then you get your asses back."

Roman nodded. "Yeah, that's great."

He looked at Mallory, who was now looking at her barely covered knees. She looked pale, which was saying something. She looked scared, something Roman never wanted to see ever.

The mental fight that he had in himself was to pull her into his arms, holding her there until the danger was gone. But there were still things that needed to be done. But there was one thing he wanted to do.

Leaning down, Roman kissed the top of Mallory's head. "I'll be back for you, Mallory. Believe that, babygirl. I'll be right back for you." He tried to keep his voice low and sweet for her because she looked like a shaking leaf when he did that.

Standing up and leaving was the hardest thing to do. He stopped at the shower entrance and looked back at Mallory and Cynthia, both looking at him. Roman gave a nod, for whatever reason maybe to show that everything was under control or something like that. Then he left.

"So," Dean said when Roman exited the locker room. "What happened?"

"He cornered her in the shower." Roman's voice was tight as he headed down the hall towards where their entrance was going to happen.

"Yeah?" Seth didn't sound shocked but he did sound a little confused. "What did he do?"

"All she said was that he scared her. And I believe her. But right now we need to focus on the match and then going back to the locker room. Cynthia said she would be bringing her there." Roman held up a hand to stop Seth from saying anything. "I know you and Cynthia have something going on tonight, she already told me. I'll keep her in my room."

Dean didn't make a sound.

"Any comments there, Dean?" Roman turned to look at him as they came to the steps of the stairs to go to the second level of the arena.

"Nope."

"Didn't think so", the Samoan mumbled to himself as he went up the stairs.

* * *

**I had people asking me if I was going to update Rush of Emotion. I'm not sure if I'm totally in the groove yet. This project was supposed to be short but I just ran out of steam with it after a while. Hopefully I can just sit my butt down and just finish it for you guys. **

**Anyway, there you have it, for now. I'll try to finish this thing up soon. Hopefully. Maybe. Ah heck, I don't know.**


	6. Chapter 6

Roman was thankful that The Wyatt Family decided to stay out of their match against Sheamus, though it was not easy to stay focused when grappling with the Irishman.

"She's mine," He heard Sheamus grunt as there were in a grappling match in the middle of the ring.

And Dean, well he got the worse of it that night. Managed to open up a small cut between his eyes but The Shield managed to pick up the win. Even if they were considered the bad guys, it still felt good that they were continuously winning their matches.

"I still don't understand why you guys like the abuse that you walk right into." The head medic said.

"Because I'm a glutton for punishment." Dean said as he pressed a towel to his head. "Hey there, toots." He spied the assistant medic over the rage. "What's your name?"

"I'm Allison." She smiled as she gently took the towel away from Dean, who was still smiling at her.

The woman in question was definitely not diva material. She was a little bit heavier, not fat but on the chunky side. Roman, though, had other thoughts of another woman that needed his attention.

"I'm going back to the locker room." Roman told his blond friend. "Seth should be back there all ready."

"Yeah, go. I'm going to enjoy the view from here." Dean waved his friend off while still looking at the woman medic.

Roman tried his hardest to not groan and laugh at the same time. This was Dean in a nutshell. The weirdo and bipolar whack job.

"It's a wonder why I'm your friend at all." Roman said before leaving the medical room.

With more pressing matters, Roman headed straight for the locker room. His mission was to see that Mallory got out of the arena with him and no one else.

Usually he would just walk on in, but because of the fact that there were going to be at least one female in there he knocked.

"Come in," he heard a soft voice say. It was a wonder he heard it at all. The door must have muffled it.

Opening the door, Roman peeked in and smiled slightly. Reclining back on the leather couch that was placed in there, Mallory was cuddled up in Roman's jacket. She hugged it to her like a blanket. It nearly was actually.

"Hey." Roman said closing the door behind him slowly. "I'm going to get ready to go."

She opened her eyes and looked at him. To see her like that, cuddling into his jacket and looking every bit as tired as he felt, Roman couldn't help but smile. When he did that, she smiled slightly in return.

"How's Dean doing?" She asked.

"Oh, he's doing good. He's flirting with that assistant medic, the new one."

"I met her. She's nice. A little bit on shy side."

"Oh, great, now we won't get Dean away from her. He's a softy when it comes to the shy ones, you know. Tries to bring them out of their shell and when he does, well, it's like therapy I guess."

"For who, him or the girls?"

"Maybe a little of both. It's hard to explain when even I don't know everything about Dean. Only Dean knows Dean."

Just talking to Mallory now, a simple kind of thing, Roman was happy. She was more comfortable around him now, now that he proved to her that he wasn't going to hurt her. As he dressed in the back of the room, he'd look back towards the couch but Mallory didn't move. Mallory hadn't moved from laying down and when Roman went to check on her, he saw that she was back to cuddling herself into his jacket.

"Mallory?" Roman pushed her blond hair from her face. "Hey, babygirl, wake up." He gently grasped her shoulder and tried to shake her awake.

Her eyes popped open and she gasped, her hands coming up to try to push him away.

"Hey, hey, hey, it's me, Mal." Roman tried to sooth her, grasping her small hands in his much larger ones. "Please, please, calm down. It's me, it's Roman." He tried to keep his voice soft, as soft as he was trying to be to her.

When she realized what was going on, Mallory ducked her head. Roman thought she was trying to calm down but then he saw what it was. She was embarrassed. Biting her lip, squeezing her eyes shut, Mallory had gone slightly limp under his gaze.

"Hey, hey," releasing her right hand he took her chin in his fingers gently and turned her face towards him. "Don't be embarrassed, babygirl." He said, running his thumb over her chin.

Finally her bright blue eyes looked at him and he smiled. He liked her eyes, they were sky blue, much like the sky around the beaches of Pensacola. The beach was a beautiful sight and she was just as beautiful as his home was.

"I'm going to take care of you. I promise." He said smiling. "Come on, let's get out of here and see what we can do for tonight."

Since he was still holding her other hand he gently helped her into a sitting position. Mallory ran her hand through her hair, trying to put it back in place, which seemed to tame it some. Rubbing her slightly bare arms, Roman took the fallen jacket and placed it back over her shoulders.

"Let me grab my bags and we can head on out." He murmured as she looked back at him.

Cynthia had taken Mallory's work stuff for her, saying that she didn't need to worry about it. The other diva PA stepped up and went to work for Mallory so that she could get a break for the night. So that Roman could take care of her.

Mallory was standing up with his jacket still wrapped around her shoulders and she looked paler than she had in the night. The bruise around her throat seemed to stand out more.

"I don't want anyone thinking that you were the one to give me this." She said as Roman walked around the couch towards her with his things in his hands.

She put her arms in the sleeves and zipped it up. The jacket swamped her slighter form, the bottom of the jacket went down to about her thighs and the sleeves concealed her shaking hands. Untucking her hair from the collar of the jacket, she looked at Roman and smiled. He smiled back.

"Ready to go?" He asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

* * *

Outside the arena it was dark. Still cold for being winter time and in Central Plains of North America. Dean was outside waiting at the second rental, but he wasn't alone.

"Hi, Allison." Mallory said looking at the assistant medic.

She smiled. "Hi." She glanced at Roman and bit her lower lip but Dean simply placed his arm around the woman's shoulder. "I hope you don't mind, but Dean offered to take me to the hotel bar for a few drinks."

"I don't mind." Mallory smiled as Roman was putting his stuff in the trunk. "I'm going to be um," she apparently didn't know how to finish the statement, so Roman offered one for her.

"I'm going to make sure she's okay tonight. She's having some personal issues right now and I want to make sure she'll be fine." He answered.

"Oh." Allison looked between Roman and Mallory before Dean turned her towards the rental.

"Ladies first." He said opening the rear right passenger door.

It seemed odd to Roman that Dean would actively sit in the back seat of any car. Dean was known to be the driver, always. If they had to drive anywhere for shows he was the one driving. So for Dean to give up the driver's seat for Roman, and letting Mallory sit up front with him. Even up front she tried to huddle into a ball in his jacket.

Dean and Allison talked openly in the backseat, well mostly Dean. Dean was so confident within his own skin, but apparently Allison needed to be encouraged. Mallory, too.

"So what are you two doing?" Dean asked, his hand resting on Allison's knee as he looked at Roman.

Mallory didn't answer.

"We're still working on that." Roman answered turning onto a side street that ran along near the hotel they were staying at.

"Pizza and movies." Allison suddenly supplied, earning an amused look from Roman in the rear view mirror and an equally amused look from Dean, who always had the most oddest looks on his face. "Well, if you don't want to go out, check out a pay per view movie and order pizza. It's simple, cheap and you don't have to run into someone you don't want to if you're locked in your hotel room all night."

"No wonder why you're so smart." Dean grinned at her.

Mallory hadn't moved, or said anything about what Allison suggested. Roman looked at her and found she had retreated back into her mind again. At least she hadn't fallen back to sleep.

The rest of the trip was quiet. When they got to the hotel, Dean and Allison rode up to the fourth floor where Dean's room was and Roman was up on the sixth floor. Mallory followed him like a shadow.

"Babygirl, you still with me?" Roman asked as he stopped at his door.

She looked at him, biting her lower lip but nodded just the same. "I'm just, I don't know."

"We're not going to do what you think I may want to do." He opened the door and pushed it open. "Go on in, choose a bed, while I go take a shower."

Roman didn't want disturb her anymore than he wanted to. Keeping an eye on Mallory was his goal. As he left his bags next to the door, grabbing some shorts to wear after his shower he watched Mallory lay down on the bed he had used the night before, snuggling into one of the pillows.

God, she made it very hard not to go over there and just take her. But the scared looks she possessed and her fear of being hurt, it made Roman rethink his priorities. She needed protection and being a Hound from Injustice, that was what he was willing to do.

The shower itself wasn't long, it wasn't really enjoyable. Except for the fact that it did ease the aches in his upper back and shoulders. He got out of the shower, dried off while leaving his hair damp and loose down the middle of his back and pulled on the shorts. As Roman opened the door he heard Mallory talking to someone.

"So is he like Superman then?" She asked, laying on her back staring up at the ceiling while pressing a phone to her ear.

Roman wondered where she had gotten a phone because he thought Cynthia took everything related to PA work from her.

"I see. And is your Daddy nice?" There was a pause from Mallory. "A very nice daddy. Oh, he held you after you had a nightmare. No, I don't think your daddy would do that for me, even if I do have nightmares."

Crap, she was talking to Shayna, his little girl. He growled in annoyance, forgetting that Shayna always called him any time it was eight o'clock back in Pensacola. Eight o'clock meant bedtime and they would have their bedtime conversations, because she always had to go to sleep with her Daddy's voice being the last thing she heard on the phone. His ex never allowed her to watch the shows.

Mallory must have heard him because she turned her head to look at the Samoan. "Well, your daddy's out of the bathroom. Wanna talk to him, sweetie? Okay, yes, it was nice talking to you." She pulled the phone away from her ear. "It's Shayna." She said, holding the phone out to him.

"Hi, Princess." Roman said when he answered the phone.

While he talked he paced the length of the hotel room. He'd spare glances at Mallory as she rested back against the pillows and find that she was both looking at him and playing with the sleeve of the jacket she had yet to take off. For a whole five minutes of talking on the phone- as much as he loved his little girl- Roman wanted to go over to Mallory and kiss her.

"Yes, Princess, I love you too. Good night and be good for Mommy. I'll see you when I come home next weekend. I miss you, too. Sleep tight." Swiping the screen after the call had ended, Roman tossed the phone on the second bed and came to stand in front of the bed Mallory was laying on. "Why did you do that? She would have left a message and I would have called her back."

Mallory shrank away, pulling her arms tight around her body, hugging her knees, refusing to look at him. "I wanted to know."

"Know what? My daughter."

"What it was like to have a daughter." She fumbled with the sleeves again, looking away from him.

This conversation went sideways fast, Roman thought.

"I miscarried when I was married, because he beat me when he found out that I had a daughter in me." She elaborated.

"Fuck." Roman grumbled, scrubbing his face with his hand. "Mind me joining you, Mal?"

She shrugged, still not looking at him.

Roman walked around the side of the bed and laid down. He realized just how much larger he was compared to her. She was small and pale, tiny was not what he would say but she was not big. Had she lost weight in a week? Roman laid on his side looking at her, but she wasn't looking at him.

"Dean told me you were the woman that was found bloodied in the FCW building."

"Yeah, that was me. I was divorced from Bray and was asking my supervisor for a more permanent job away from Florida. To be on the road. When he found me, I told him. He just…" she didn't finish. "I wanted to go to court but he weaseled out of it, I don't know how but he was suspended until he was allowed back in."

Roman reached over and rubbed the tear away from her face. That little act made her turn her head to look at him. She looked so defeated, so scared. It turned his stomach as he watched her.

"I want to admit something, Mallory." He said, leaning his head down slightly as he moved the hair from the side of her face.

"What?"

"I've watched you for a long time. I've liked you ever since I noticed you." He admitted. "I wanted to ask you out but I was just scared to try another relationship. You are so beautiful, I love your hair." He leaned down and smelled it. "You smell absolutely great. But when Sheamus…"

"I don't like Sheamus. He hasn't tried to help me." She interjected in his little speech, easing the tightness in her shoulders. "You may have liked me but you didn't push the issue."

"You don't know how much I have wanted to kiss you and yes, have passionate sex with you. But you never noticed me."

"I tried not to notice you." She turned further towards him, still playing with the sleeve.

He nose dived right into it. Roman didn't care if she tried to slap him. It would be so worth the effort but then again he didn't know if he should.

Sucking in a breath, Roman leaned down and kissed Mallory's forehead. She sighed, her warm breath hitting him square in the chest. Then he brought a hand up to her face, cupping her cheek before dropping his mouth to hers. He just rested there, waiting, hoping that she wouldn't push him away.

Mallory opened her mouth slightly and nipped his lower lip. She pressed her hand to his chest and pushed. When he moved away, she followed until as he lay back, Mallory draped her upper body over his.

"This." She murmured circling an arm around his head pressing her face to his hair this time. "I like this."

Even if it wasn't going to go further than that, Roman was happy, over the moon that she had accepted what he was doing.

Maybe the simplest thing was to just hold her and let her know he wasn't going to hurt her.

Mallory deserved just that.

* * *

**Hey, I really like this update. Roman and Mallory are getting there aren't they? Now, how to destroy that happiness? I still haven't figured that one out. Comments and suggestions are highly valued now. And thanks for reading.**


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